Fading

I think this is might be the longest chapter yet.

Broke my heart to write it, but this story has really taken on a life of its own.

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She falls to her knees in the center of the empty square.

Her lungs burn from sprinting away from the shop.

The rim of the fountain is cold on her flushed skin as she presses her forehead against it.

Due to the winter temperatures, the basin is empty of water.

She stares blankly at the seraphic faces carved into the column where the water usually comes from.

Their mouths are open, empty.

As though stuck in an eternal scream.

Enid hears it echo in her mind.

She fishes a coin out of her pocket and tosses it in.

Listens to it clang against the bottom.

She makes a wish.

"Enid! What the absolute hell?!" Someone is hauling her up, shaking her.

Her mind is hazy, all she can see is the carved faces.

Staring, screaming.

She blinks.

Graham comes into focus; concern alight on his face.

Sense floods back into her.

Enid steps out of his arms, tugs her jacket tighter around her.

She is freezing.

"I need you to drive me somewhere." Her voice is calm.

Graham looks at her as though she's suddenly grown antlers.

"What?" It falls from his mouth in utter disbelief.

Enid glances down at her watch.

Nearly three hours have passed.

"We still have an hour before I need to be back. C'mon, we have to hurry." She turns and starts toward the parking lot.

Graham's mouth falls open as he watches her walk away.

Her pointed glance back at him gets his feet moving.

"Are you out of your mind? You disappear for three hours! Three hours! That I spent searching for you everywhere because your immortals would literally murder me if I were to not bring you home. And now you suddenly show back up and you want me to be your damn uber?!" His words fly out in a long, furious string.

"I'm really sorry for worrying you. I promise, I wouldn't have slipped away if it hadn't been of utmost importance." She apologizes, guilt tight in her throat.

He stares down at her, his lips pressing into a thin line.

"Fine. But god, kid, I'm pretty sure you gave me some grey hairs." Graham sighs.

"You didn't call them, did you?" She asks as they climb into his car.

"Your men? No, hell no. Do you think I want to die?" He says as the engine roars to life.

Enid gives him a soft smile as she directs him out of the parking lot.

The car ride is silent apart from her directions, her mind too busy to say anything else.

When they pull up at the front of an apartment complex, she gives him a remorseful smile.

"Do you mind waiting? It shouldn't take too long." She pleads.

Graham runs a hand over his face, checking his watch.

"You better be back down here in forty minutes or I'm coming in." He allows.

She smiles at him gratefully, waving as she closes the door behind her.

Climbing up the steps, she finds a call box to the right of the door.

Scanning over the names, she comes across the one she's looking for.

Fourth floor.

Scrawled in pink swooping script.

Emilia Campbell.

Crossing her trembling fingers, she presses the button beside her name.

A short buzz sounds, followed by a louder beep a few seconds later.

"Hello?" Emilia's voice calls staticky from the speaker.

"Um, hi! It's Enid. Can I come up?" She feels strange talking to the metallic box.

"Omg, hi! Of course! I'm on the fourth floor, first door on the right!" She says cheerfully.

Enid hears the click of the door as it unlocks and slips inside.

The interior is surprisingly modern for a student apartment building.

A short elevator ride later, she is knocking lightly on a dark oak door.

It swings open, revealing Emilia's beaming smile.

"Hi, you! What a lovely surprise!" She pulls her into a tight hug.

Enid practically collapses into her friend's arms.

"I'm sorry for showing up so randomly." Enid says as they pull apart.

"Don't be silly. You're always welcome here." Emilia tugs her into the warmly lit apartment.

She's dressed in pajama pants and a tank, her tan skin stark against the white cotton.

Mismatched colorful furniture fills the space, canvases with inspirational quotes decorate the walls.

Today is a perfect day for a perfect day.

Says a painting hung above the couch.

Enid smiles bitterly.

A perfect day indeed.

"Can I get you something to drink? Eat? I have some cookies I baked last night." Emilia trails into her messy kitchen, attempting to tidy the counter.

"Um, just some water would be wonderful." Enid smiles gratefully, sitting down on the bright pink couch.

"You got it. Is everything okay? You seem a little... out of it." Emilia studies her as she hands her a glass of water.

Enid cradles the cool glass, thankful for something to hold on to.

"I need to talk to you about something. That's why I just... showed up." Enid stares down at her ice cubes.

Emilia settles into the plush, green armchair across from the couch, pulling her legs up beside her.

"Something bad happened, didn't it?" Emilia is now staring at her with blatant worry.

Enid takes a shaky sip of her glass.

"I need you to promise me you will keep what I'm going to tell you a secret. You have to promise me." Enid leans forward, her eyes watching her friend nervously.

Emilia's dark eyes widen.

"Of course. I swear. Whatever it is, we can figure it out, okay?" Emilia reaches across the small ottoman to grab her shaking hand.

Enid clutches it like a lifeline.

She takes a deep breath and then the story is falling from her lips.

Starting at the beginning, the enormity of moving to a new country.

When she met Theodore and felt like her entire universe had tilted.

Then on to stumbling into Dante's office, his warm Italian voice murmuring little bird.

How she'd gushed over Alexander, then ran away at their misunderstanding.

That day in Dante's office, when they had quelled her worries.

Asked her to be their intern.

The way Alexander had hugged her.

Planted a seed in her chest that had blossomed.

And then, the bonfire.

Smoke in her lungs, fingers bruising her sides.

A boy trying to take what hadn't been freely given.

Running, falling, running.

How they had rescued her, healed her.

Promised her they'd make things better.

How they had gone to the dean, how it had all gone wrong.

Her voice trembles as she tells her how she fell for them.

The way she'd found a home in Dante's laugh.

Adored Theodore's small smiles that were only for her.

How she had come undone under Alexander's guiding touch as she played the cello.

No words are enough, no words can describe the way she fell for them.

Without even meaning to.

She had lived her whole life feeling like she was missing something and then suddenly there they were.

Painting her world in vivid colors that she had never seen.

Her words come flowing out as she tells her about how she moved into the estate.

About their warning to her.

We're not just professors...

We're dangerous. But not to you, never to you...

She distantly registers the tears dripping down her neck.

And they weren't dangerous to her.

They were her life, the blood pumping through her veins.

Her home in human form.

They were kind and warm and loving and sweet and, and...

She loves them.

She told them that she loved them.

Burrowed in their arms in the room they designed for her.

All her emotions so heightened when she was near them.

Love.

She loves them.

And then- and then-.

The night of Halloween.

An uninvited guest.

The ghostly man with danger in his eyes.

His threats.

Her fear.

Then, it spirals.

Patrick is dead.

Texts lighting up her phone, a cold and empty bed.

Voices from behind a closed door.

Rage, furious rage.

A cry of pain.

Her three men threatening another.

Three.

How she had begun to worry.

Three.

Running down the stairs.

Three.

Graham's face, so normal.

So unworried.

Three.

A text from an anonymous stranger, a haunting invitation.

Three.

A bandage on Graham's wrist.

Their fault.

Their violence.

Nothing like her three men.

Three.

Three hours in the grocer with a scarred man, curiosity and distrust liquid in her veins.

His promise for answers, a path to a file cabinet.

A challenge.

To sneak behind their backs.

To finally learn the truth.

Three.

And then, as she was leaving, the sudden memory of the surveillance tape.

A boy, standing unaware.

Three men in the dark.

She doesn't want to believe it.

The answers are in the filing cabinet and she doesn't want to look.

Doesn't want to know.

She wants, with every fiber of her being, to be wrong.

Emilia is holding her, running a soothing hand through her curls.

She chokes on a sob and the older girl whispers soothing words.

After a few minutes, Enid collects herself.

"Enid..." Emilia is speechless.

Enid lets out a watery laugh.

"Yeah, that about sums it up." Her voice is exhausted.

"Wow." Emilia says, pure shock painted across her face.

The room is silent but for the soft whir of the heater.

"If I'm honest, I kind of figured something was going on between you and Dr. Romano. I noticed from the very first lesson how his eyes would always be on you. The way he'd watch you... It was like he was starving. And then, later, it would be full of so much love and adoration." Emilia admits.

Enid looks at her in shock.

"You knew? Why didn't you say anything?" Her cyan eyes wide.

Emilia shrugs, a sheepish smile on her face.

"I didn't want to assume anything or make you uncomfortable... I figured if you wanted me to know, you'd tell me." She pulls her dark hair up into a ponytail.

Enid nods, giving her a grateful smile.

"And I had no clue you had all three of them... I mean, holy shit, Enid. All the bad stuff aside for a moment, I am seriously in awe of you. The immortals are... well, they're known as three of the sexiest men alive! I'm so proud of you." Emilia shakes her head in amazement.

A soft blush stretches across Enid's cheeks as she grins sheepishly.

"Um, thank you." She tugs on a curl nervously, "Anyways, I just don't know what to do. Whether I should try to ask them or just go into Theodore's office and try breaking into his filing cabinet... I feel so awful just imagining it."

Emilia tucks a blanket around her with motherly care.

"I think you should go straight to the filing cabinet. From what you've told me, it seems they'll do anything and everything to keep you. So, I think they might lie if you ask..." Emilia bites her lip.

Enid nods, already knowing what her answer would be.

Maybe she had just needed to hear it from someone else.

She knew it was the best course for ascertaining the truth.

No matter how guilty the thought of it made her feel.

"And hey, there might not even be anything incriminating in there. That Armad guy might just be messing with you." Emilia suggests hopefully.

Enid smiles, trying to soak up the optimism.

"Yeah, I really hope so." She stands unsteadily.

Emilia hugs her tightly at the door, making her promise to be safe.

"I'm so grateful for you. You're the best friend I've ever had." Enid whispers into her ear as they part.

Emilia's eyes glisten as she smiles.

"Ditto, Enid. Ditto." She presses a kiss to her ivory cheek.

She has one minute left as she climbs into the car.

Graham studies her with concern as she gives him a grateful smile.

"You've been crying." He frowns.

She presses her hands against her flushed face.

"Thank you for your help tonight. I'm sorry again for the trouble." Enid says as he pulls away from the curb.

He snorts.

"Grey hairs, butterfly. You'll be paying for my hair dye."

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At least we can be grateful that Emilia is a good friend.

And I love writing Graham's character, he's such a hoot.

Comments fill my heart with joy.

All my love, Sappho ⁎